The shape of things

I love new workouts. Especially ones that have new ways to target the muscles I'm working. But sometimes, I want to go to the gym and hit up the main body parts quickly and effectively instead of hanging around trying to figure out a new move. If you've ever felt that way, then this workout is just for you:

Women's Health put together a list of the best exercises for each body part most women target. Perhaps not so surprisingly the moves that target and work your body the most effectively are also some of the most basic and simple moves. (Like the triceps dip, chest press, and chin up).

Here's an overview of the no-nonsense workout:

1. Triceps - the dip

2. Biceps - The Chin Up (this one is tough - especially for us girls - they suggest having a friend help with this one, I suggest using that maching in the gym that you load an amount of "help weight" stand on a platform, and do the chinup with some assistance. (so instead of doing a chin up lifting your 130 pounds, you do one lifting 80 pounds, or whatever your body can handle). Just try to keep making the help weight ligther and lighter.  

3. Shoulders - Military Press 

4. Upper Back - Dumbbell Row

5. Abs - Reverse crunch 

6. Low Back - Alternating Superwoman (sounds more complicated than it actually is)

7. Chest - Chest Press 

8. Calves - Toe Raise

9. Quads - Squat

10. Butt - Romanian Deadlift

If you do all these moves at the gym one day you will target all areas of the body and get a great all-over workout. Have fun. Print out the workout here.

I love finding new workouts. I love printing them out or tearing them out of a magazine and tagging it along with me to the gym. It's always my best workouts because it's something new and challenging and fun. I try not to post workouts in the blog until I've tested them, because I'd hate for one of you to go to the gym with it and it be a waste of your time.

I've been doing this "butt" workout a couple of times and I really like it. My favorite part of it is that it has 10 different moves so each time you go you can pick and choose. (Don't do all ten, you'd be in the gym for a long time).

I've tried all the moves except number 7 and 9. The reason being because move number nine just looks a little strange, and with the amount of men who stare in the weight room of my gym, I'd be completely uncomfortable (for goodness sake you're pulling a cable through your squatting legs!). I haven't tried number 7 but I want to and I will eventually.

And my favorites? This first one is great. You do a full squat (thighs parallel to the floor, the chick in picture b is not there, keep going deeper.) and then you rise up to 1/4 of a squat and then back down to a full squat. That's one rep. The second one is a dead lift. Nice. The third one takes a lot of balance, but you definitely feel it. Squat on one leg with weight in one hand.

Happy lifting. Welcome to a great back side. Download the workout and print it out.